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Who we are

The GeezersThe
Geezers Club at AgeUK, Bow in East London has been running since 2006
and aims to counter loneliness and isolation amongst older men through
the involvement of members in activities addressed specifically to their
needs and interests. Tidal power from the River Thames was the group's
own idea to improve the lives of London's older people.

Loraine LeesonLoraine is a visual artist who has worked for over thirty years in community-based art practice. She is Senior Research Fellow at University of Westminster, Senior Lecturer at Middlesex University and director of the arts charity cSPACE. Loraine developed the project through a commission by SPACE five years ago and has been leading it ever since.

Toby Borland
Toby Borland is a design engineer and sculptor. He previously ran
MAGICbox, a prototyping laboratory hosted at the University of East
London and has an interest in peer manufacture and renewable energy
development. When not designing turbines, he is pursuing a PhD in
Computer Science in Brunel University.

Ann Light
Professor of design at Northumbria University with an interest in
citizen innovation and social change. She was part of the team that brought
Loraine and The Geezers together to ask about future technologies in
2007, and has been documenting progress and pursuing opportunities to
support the work ever since.

Fiona Fieber
Fiona is Head of SPACE Learning & Participation. Active Energy was
part of the Artist As Neighbour programme which creates projects with
artists and communities in the areas where SPACE runs its artists'
studios. From there she developed the current programme, People Power,
which focuses on art, technology and sustainability with young people.

Nithin Rai
Trained as a biophysical chemist, Nithin has special interest in marine
renewable energy and co-owns the Tamesis Dock barge, which he has made
available to the Active Energy project for installation of the turbine
and its launch. Nithin's involvement will continue through the
subsequent monitoring and maintenance of the installation.

Stephen Dodds
Emeritus Professor of University of East London and Academician of the
Academy of Nonlinear Sciences of Russia, Stephen is a renowned as a
spacecraft attitude and orbit control systems engineer who developed the
first computer-based attitude control algorithms for European
Spacecraft. Stephen loaned his skills to work on the intergenerational
project at Bow Boys’ School and supported the Geezers in the development
of their tidal turbine prototype designs.